The Dangers of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation makes you feel cranky and downright awful, but it can also be dangerous. Learn about the safety and overall health problems associated with sleep deprivation.

As a mom to a one-year-old, I am no stranger to sleep deprivation. I’ve always loved sleep, but now that my sleep revolves around how well my son is sleeping, a good night’s sleep or an afternoon nap feels like a precious gift.

Sleep deprivation kind of sounds like just an inconvenience until you’re in the thick of it, doesn’t it? It sounds like just another way of saying that you’re tired, but true sleep deprivation goes beyond tired. When my son was first born, the exhaustion was palpable.

Waking up felt like a punch in the gut, and honestly I felt kind of ashamed at how much sleep deprivation impacted me day to day. So many people operate under sleep debt, and knowing that made me feel like I should just have a cup of coffee and suck it up.

The graphic below gets into some of the short and long-term problems with sleep deprivation, and I found reading it almost cathartic. We need to prioritize sleep!